Using preserved eye drops with soft lenses?

From: Paul  Zerkel

Comments

gentlemen:

My opthamologist has recently fitted me with a pair of acuvue bifocal contact lens. I would appreciate an answer to a very important concern of mine. I am a glaucoma patient and am currently on four topical medications, all of which contain the preservative benzalkonium chloride. Does acuvue lens absorb and store this preservative and if so, what long term effects might this have for me? I am currently wearing a gas permiable unilens which I remove before inserting my medications. This is difficult for me to do with acuvue disposable lens.

Please advise me at mailto: zpa45 @ aol.com

Thank you, Paul a. Zerkel.

Re: Using preserved eye drops with soft lenses?

From: D. Nelson

Comments

Dear Paul, Benzalkonium chloride. also known as bak, is a very common eye medicine preservative. It does bind with soft contact lens materials and can reach toxic levels. For that reason, bak is not used as a preservative in soft lens solutions. It is used as a preservative in rigid lens solutions, since it doesnt bind with rigid lens materials as readily. Some people are very sensitive to bak, and show toxic corneal insult at relatively low concentrations. Your concerns however, may be unfounded simply because of the short wearing times the acuvue is used for ie. 2 weeks. There may a concern with the amount of bak you are using, since you mentioned you are using 4 medicines.You should voice your concerns to your Ophthalmologist. He may feel there is no concern with bak and disposable lenses. It is also possible to shorten the wearing times for the acuvue,ie. 10 wearings instead of 14. Your Dr. may also be able to substitute one or more of your medicines with something not preserved with bak. Good luck. Let us know what

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